The RWD sports car gets power bumps for both engines, a Veloster nose, and a revised interior.

Given that Hyundai's 2013 Veloster Turbo coupe-hatch will pack 201 horses, it makes perfect sense that the rear-drive Genesis coupe would get more muscle of its own. The intra-lineup pecking order must remain undisturbed, after all.

The 2013 Genesis coupe’s Detroit auto show debut confirmed many of the details we learned from Hyundai’s semi-secret, pre-reveal Korean info dump late last year. As before, two engines will be available: a 274-hp, turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 348-hp, naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6. Those numbers represent substantial bumps from last year’s turbo four (210 hp) and V-6 (306 hp). The revised four-cylinder produces a maximum of 275 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm; the V-6 churns out 295 lb-ft at a lofty 5300 rpm.

Either engine may be mated to a six-speed manual or Hyundai's new in-house eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The company says that the manual shifter and clutch have been extensively refined for better feel, and that both transmissions have been "specifically tuned" to meet each engine’s unique output curves. What's not "specifically tuned" apparently are the gear ratios and final drives: Hyundai quotes identical numbers for both transmissions.

The 2.0-liter earns a mileage rating of 21 mpg city/30 highway with the manual and 20/31 with the automatic. The V-6 returns 18/27 if you choose to row your own; opt for the automatic and Hyundai says you’ll see 18/28.

"Aggressive" would be the overused adjective of choice employed in the press materials to describe the reworked, Veloster­-style front fascia, while words like "radical" and "sinister" seem a tad heavy-handed for a car sharing the Detroit floor with the Norelco-nosed Lexus LF-LC and a 590-hp Dodge Charger Redline. Suffice it to say the reworked Genesis coupe has all the requisite scoops, intakes, HIDs, and LEDs needed to play in the sporty-coupe segment.

The outgoing Genesis coupe developed a reputation for a rough ride, and for 2013, all Genesis coupes receive new dampers aimed at softening the ride and improving body control. R-Spec and Track models not only feature beefier stabilizer bars and firmer spring rates, but—in a touch that shows real commitment to the enthusiast market—also include front-strut camber-adjustment bolts that owners can install to tweak their setup for track and autocross use. The hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering has been recalibrated too, offering a seven-percent quicker ratio than did the outgoing model.

Look behind the standard 18-inch aluminum wheels (19-inch on the R-Spec and Track models) and you'll find the same single-piston calipers and 12.6-inch ventilated front rotors and 12.4-inch solid rear rotors as before. R-Spec and Track models carry over their brake hardware, too, including 13.4-inch ventilated front and 13.0-inch ventilated rear rotors. Every Genny coupe again packs Brembo four-piston calipers at all four corners as standard.

The interior has come in for some attention, as well, and Hyundai claims the trappings have gone "upscale.” To that end, an electroluminescent gauge cluster has been fitted and the instrument panel pad is now detailed with high-zoot faux stitching. A tilting and telescoping steering column is par for the course.

It all sounds quite good, but until we get a chance to drive the revised Genesis coupe lineup, we won't know if the big power increases and other tweaks are enough to transform a car with a middling reputation into a true contender.

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